Nutrien Ag Solutions (formerly Crop Production Services) hosted its second annual soybean plot tour this week along Highway 23 near the community of Kane, MB.

Crop Production Advisor Curtis Martens explained how the crops were looking.

"We've gotten pretty lucky this year," he said. "We have probably gotten more rain than a lot of people have on this site, so the plots are looking really good this year. Compared to last year we're probably seeing much more row closure. Everything's on 30 inch rows, so that's important to guys out here and a bit more pod development at the top."

Curtis Martens

The half mile site includes 15 different soybean varieties from four different companies including NorthStar Genetics, Pride Seeds, Syngenta, and Proven Seeds. For new varieties, Martens notes everything is moving a little bit more into the Xtend system now to handle weeds.

He talked about the maturity rating of the soybeans being grown in the area.

"There were some mid-seasons that have been added but we are seeing guys push the limits and adding the longer season beans and there's probably two more 008 maturity beans added to this plot from last year...We're seeing the heat units that we've been experiencing helping out with being able to grow those longer season beans in the Red River Valley."

Martens notes they're planning to hold a follow up plot tour as the soybeans start to reach full maturity.

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